Steven Urena
By Steven Urena
“Somebody once asked me if I ever went up to the plate trying to hit a home run. I said, ‘Sure, every time.’” -Mickey Mantle
Every postseason my social media blows up with fans asking a simple question. “Why don’t more teams play “Small Ball?”
What is Small Ball?
In a nutshell, Small Ball is the ability of a team to manufacture runs without relying on the long ball. Get them on, get them over, get them in!
The average fan (who played Little League and was coached by Bill the Plumber) would say that Small Ball means a team bunts. The more seasoned baseball fan will tell you it is a bit more complex. It is necessary to note, most baseball fans, especially Dodger fans, are the average fan.
Let’s run through the executions used in baseball.
All types of bunts (sacrifice, drag, suicide), hit and run, slash, hit to the right side, scoring ground balls, scoring fly balls, steals, and working counts. This offensive strategy placed value on the team and not the individual’s stats. The goal was to grind out at-bats, execute and attempt to score one run an inning. For this strategy to be successful, great pitching is a must. Fundamentals, not flash and power, is the old-school baseball mentality.
Below are the executions explained in detail:
Sacrifice Bunt: batter gives himself up to move a runner from first to second or from first and second to second and third. This puts runners in scoring position and requires a base hit to score runs.
Drag Bunt: attempting to bunt for a base hit.
Push/Pull Bunt: a hard bunt that needs to get past the pitcher and into “no man’s land.”
Slash Bunt: a fake bunt. Batter shows bunt then swings. This works if the defense assumes a bunt is on and moves out of position.
Safety Squeeze: runner on third waits until the ball is down and darts home if the ball is not bunted back to the pitcher. Batter only bunts a ball he can put in play.
Suicide Squeeze: runner goes once the pitcher starts home. Batter must bunt the ball, or the runner will be left out to dry.
Hit and Run: runner on first base takes off. The batter must swing at the next pitch (unless it is above his hands or in the dirt) and hit it on the ground. A missed ball could result in the runner being thrown out. A ball in the air can result in a double play.
Stealing Bags: Advance runners without giving up an out.
Hit to the right side: Runners on second can move to third with a ground ball to the right side. Runners on first can go first to third on a base hit.
Scoring Ground Balls: With a runner on third, with the middle infield back, a ground ball will bring home a run.
Scoring Fly Balls: A deep fly ball with a runner on third brings home the bacon.
Walks: Work the count, take pitches, make the pitcher work. Get the next man up.
The philosophy of situational hitting is just about dead in today’s game. This is not Tommy Lasorda’s Dodgers. Kirk Gibson is not leading the team with 25 home runs and 76 RBIs. Players are bigger, faster, and stronger than they have ever been. The most home runs hit by a team in one season is 307 by the 2019 Minnesota Twins. In 2019, 10 other teams reached the top 20 for home runs in one season. Four of the top 20 teams are from the Steroid Era. The other teams are after the Steroid Era and before 2019. Chicks dig the long ball! Bunting is not cool.
What’s another reason teams are abandoning Small Ball? You have the best of the best. You do not bunt your way into the majors. Players get to the show because they can flat out mash. The Dominicans have a saying, “no one walks off the island.” This means you must hit and hit aggressively to impress scouts and get the exposure you need to make it. The same goes for youngsters in the US. If a player does not have home run hitting ability (or show the promise of having it as muscles develop), then the chances of becoming a prospect drop.
There is no money in Small Ball. To be successful at hitting Major League pitching, hitters must take advantage of their strengths, not their weaknesses. Remember, players get to the show by hitting bombs. When a hitter tries to poop the ball the other way or lay down a bunt, he limits his production. Players get paid for hitting home runs. The magic number is 30. Every chance wasted not trying to get to the magic number is an opportunity wasted for a big payday. Walks, home runs, and being clutch is how the Major League dream becomes a reality.
Pitching is faster and better than ever. It may seem easier to execute against good pitching to get runs, but that is not true. Forcing hitters to swing at pitches (hit and run) or hitting tough inside pitches the other way is not realistic. Once a pitcher sees a hitter is trying to execute, he can pitch to his strengths, and the hitter is toast. They are Major Leaguers, so they should be able to execute off dynamite pitching, right? Please.
The MLB fastball from 2000 to 2020 has changed significantly. In 2000 the average fastball was below 90 mph. In 2019 the average fastball was 93.1 mph. In 2008, there were 196 pitches thrown 95 mph or faster, and 11 pitchers averaged 95 mph. In 2019, there were 1,320 pitches thrown 95 mph or faster, and 74 pitchers averaged 95 mph or faster. Mix in dirty change-ups, sliders, cutters, curveballs, sinkers, and everything else. Good luck.
Why do you see Small Ball so much in high school and college? Because it works! Playing Small Ball puts pressure on the defenses, and you see young players make mistakes. Pitchers are not as electric in amateur ball as they are in pro ball. It is easier to execute situational hitting. Not everyone can hit the long ball in amateur ball. Manufacturing runs is a must to be successful.
Contact Steve Urena at:
Email: theurenaexpress@gmail.com
Twitter/IG: @theurenaexpress
